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Continuing education course

Palliative Care Research and Practice

Appraise and conduct palliative care research that changes lives.

Course length 12 weeks part-time
Start date September 2026
Location Online

Introduction

About the course

Many of the challenges inherent in palliative care research can be readily identified from its definition. 

Fundamentally, palliative care is concerned with people who are living with life-threatening illnesses. Whilst the definition of palliative care potentially includes patients early in the course of their illness (and their families), the majority of people who receive palliative care are in the last months, weeks or days of life

Our research is associated with many practical problems associated with recruitment and also patient attrition associated with patients becoming so unwell they cannot remain in studies or because they die. We are very mindful of this. While the amount of palliative care research is increasing, the specialty of palliative care is still relatively underdeveloped in terms of its research base.

Students receive 20 Level 7 credits on completing this short course, including the assessment.

You can take this short course on its own or as part of a postgraduate research degree at Hull York Medical School (MSc, MD, or PhD). It can also be taken as part of the PGCert/PGDip/MSc Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice programme.

What you will learn

This short course aims to familiarise you with various research methods relevant to long-term conditions and palliative care. Topics covered include systematic reviews, research question development, clinical trials, qualitative methods, research ethics, patient involvement, medical statistics, mixed methods, and the use of big data. It will also address the alignment of research priorities with the needs of patients and their families.

Who is this short course for?

This short course is ideal for clinicians or researchers who are looking to develop their research expertise relevant to palliative care.

How is this short course delivered?

This online course allows for flexible study to fit around other commitments. You are encouraged to participate in the weekly one-hour group discussion sessions and will undertake 3 - 5 hours of independent study each week.

CONTACT US

Professor Jonathan Koffman

Professor Jonathan Koffman,
Programme Director

View profile

Fees and funding

Tuition fee

The fee for this short course for the academic year 2025/6 is £2,100.

Fees are reviewed annually and may change.

Professional Development Grants

Applicants currently employed at hospices in the UK may be eligible to apply for a professional development grant via Hospice UK, such as the Wolfson Professional Development Grant and the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) bursary. These grants can provide up to £1,500 per year, with matched funding by your hospice encouraged by Hospice UK.

Visit the Hospice UK website for further information.

Entry

Entry requirements

Applicants must have previous training in a health or social care profession (e.g. graduates of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, or social work or other allied health and social care professions), in a science applied to human or organisational behaviour (e.g. graduates of psychology or sociology) or have equivalent professional experience.

Applicants must have a 2.1 degree or equivalent.

All applications will be subject to the successful completion of an online interview.

English language requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must have one of the following:

  • IELTS: 6.5, with no less than 6.0 in each component
  • PTE Academic: 61, with no less than 55 in each component
  • CAE and CPE (from January 2015): 176, with no less than 169 in each component
  • TOEFL: 87, with a minimum of 21 in each component
  • Trinity ISE: level 3 with Merit in all components
  • LangCert B2 Communicator High Pass (minimum score 33/50)
  • WASSCE: C5

Applying

How to apply

Email [email protected] to find out more about applying to study this short course.

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Annually reviewed

Courses and their content are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure they remain up to date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. Where changes are necessary or proposed, we will advise applicants and enrolled students at the earliest possible opportunity.